Short Lived Relief
by Blackrose197666
Summary: Bobby has realised his mistake in letting John leave but as he comes face to face with the fire mutant, he learns there can never be a happy ending for them. BobbyJohn and implied character death


**Author's Note: **Just a little story I've had floating about for a while. This was actually a possible ending for Too Late if you've read it but I didn't think it would go down too well. If you're looking for my normal fluffy nonsense you won't find it here! Failed John/Bobby and implied character death! You have been warned...

**Short Lived Relief **

No one looks me in the eye anymore. I think it has something to do with my dumping Marie after she got the cure. I don't see why they're mad at me...I never told her to get it! God knows I didn't want her to...

I never really looked at her that way. Truth be told, deep down, I was glad we couldn't touch. It was perfect. I had a girlfriend – as was expected of me – who I really did care about. I didn't have to think about...

Truth be told I've only ever been attracted to one person. And it wasn't Marie. Or Kitty. Or Jean or Storm or anyone it _should _have been.

The worst thing is…I knew he felt the same. A couple of weeks before he left he had been complaining and threatening to leave – as he did every other day. I'd just waved a hand dismissively at him and told him not to be silly.

"Well why should I stay?" he asked.

"Because you have friends?" I replied obviously. John scoffed.

"I have one friend," he rolled his eyes, laying back on his bed, glaring up at the ceiling. "When he has the time for me."

"Hey!" I objected, turning away from my desk, frowning. "What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're always busy Drake," he replied simply. I couldn't help the guilt rise up in me. I knew it was true. I had been avoiding him...more and more since these feelings...

"You have plenty friends," I insisted. "What about Piotr?"

"He's friends with _everyone_," John drawled. "He doesn't count."

"What about Marie?" I continued. "Marie likes you."

"She wouldn't if she knew I had the hots for her boyfriend."

Silence. I didn't reply – I couldn't. Finally John rolled off the bed and left our room. I didn't try and stop him. When he returned in the evening – I have no idea how he'd spent the day – we resumed with idle conversation, neither ever mentioning what he had said. And just a few weeks later he was gone.

I should have spoken to him. Even as just a friend. I knew he was struggling. I knew he was threatening to leave. But I was too caught up in my own worries. Too worried about acting the perfect pupil and the perfect boyfriend. Too worried after our little trip to Boston about what my family now thought of me, and _worse_, what they thought about John. I should have been standing up for him, helping him – I know his family life was hell – but all I could think of was how I knew my family would disapprove of him. And how that would reflect on me.

God I'm an idiot. I deserve what happened at Alcatraz. I deserve the nightmares, the guilt, the pain…

A loud knock on the door tears my attention from my thoughts. I look up to find Storm standing in the doorway.

"Magneto's back," she says urgently. "Get to the jet."

I do as I'm told without thinking. Logan, Piotr, Hank and Warren quickly join us.

"No Shadowcat?" Logan enquires. Storm shakes her head.

"Not this time," she looks at us all seriously. "Now we don't know exactly what he's up to, but he and Mystique have been spotted entering a nearby – supposedly abandoned – military base."

"Mystique?" again Logan arches an eyebrow.

"In all her blue, scaly glory," Hank confirms. "We must leave immediately, time is of the essence."

We are instructed to work in pairs; Logan with Warren, Storm with Hank and myself with Piotr. It does not take us long to arrive at the old base, but the building is huge. I find myself separated from Piotr, alone in a cold, run down corridor. It's then I hear it. That familiar little swoosh and the spark of a flame.

"_Iceman_."

I'm almost scared to look round, not so much of what I might see but more in fear that my mind is playing tricks on me. But there he is. Standing as tall as his smaller body can, his dark blonde hair ruffled and falling over his face, those burning brown eyes glaring back at me hatefully, fireball twirling in his fingers. I cannot help but smile, letting out a relieved sigh. John arches an eyebrow.

"What the hell you smiling for?" he asks, narrowing his eyes, but I see his defensive stance drop slightly. Still I smile.

"I thought you were dead John," I reply quietly. "I thought I'd killed you."

"Wasn't that what you were trying to do?" he mutters, but he looks down, away from my gaze. I shake my head and start to walk forward.

"No! God no..." he does not pull away as I close the gap between us. "John I would never intentionally hurt you…"

"Bullshit Drake!" suddenly he pulls back, looking up, his fiery eyes blazing. "You split my head open and left me for dead!"

I bite my lip guiltily.

"I was so angry at you for leaving me…" I try to justify the anger that had welled up in me that day.

"I had nothing to leave!" John's fists clench angrily but the flames diminish. "I…" he pauses as he finds himself backed up against the wall. "It wasn't a difficult decision to leave."

I can't help but frown slightly as I stop in front of him. His eyes widen slightly at our proximity but still he stands tall.

"I know, I'm sorry," I can't help but move closer still, my body moving involuntarily. "I shouldn't have let you leave."

"Drake! I…what…"

His lips are so warm and soft, his smaller body fitting perfectly into my arms. A moan escapes my lips as I feel his hands slip loosely around my waist. Grudgingly, I pull away slowly. He opens his eyes and looks up at me, those fiery pupils glazed over.

"Your timing sucks Drake," he mutters, glancing down. I can't help but laugh at the familiar demeanour, running my hands up and down his back.

"I know, I…" I run my hands through his hair, easing his head up again and clearing his face. "I'm so sorry John."

It feels like forever that he just stares back at me. Finally he clears his throat.

"When did you decide you wanted to do that?"

"A few weeks before you told me you wanted to," I admit. Again John just stares back before raising his fists and hitting my chest.

"You…ugh," he tries to pull away but he has nowhere to go. "Bobby!"

"Shhh…" I kiss him again and instantly he relaxes, his fists unclenching and his hands sliding back down to my waist. "God I've missed you so much…I…"

"I've missed you too," John admits quietly. "But Bobby…"

"No…" instinctively I capture his lips to silence what sounds like a protest. "No buts."

John sighs quietly but he complies, silently leaning forward to rest his head against my chest. Contentedly we stand, oblivious to all around us, until finally reality returns.

"Pyro!" the loud, commanding voice of Magneto carries down the corridor. "We're done here. Let's go."

I grab John's arm as he turns to leave, pulling him back into my arms, gently stroking a hand down his cheek.

"Don't go," I beg quietly. He shakes his head but I can see the torture in his eyes. He wants to stay – I can tell. "Please John," I lean forward and gently capture his lips. "_Stay_."

"I can't," again he tries to pull away but again I stop him. "Bobby, I can't stay!"

"You can!" I tighten my arms around his waist. "I don't care what it takes, I'll leave the mansion, we'll go wherever you want, just _please_...stay with me."

John's eyes glaze over as he just stares back up at me. After what feels like an eternity, I feel his hand slip up my back, sliding up into my hair, pulling me down into a sweet, tender, lingering kiss. His eyes remain closed briefly as he pulls away; when they open I see tears welling up over the fiery brown irises.

"Thing is Bobby..." his voice is so quiet as he blinks to clear away those tears. "You _did_ kill me," he raises a hand to pull away his fringe. A knot tightens in my stomach at his words and the sight of that scar. "I have swelling in my brain. It's getting worse all the time, my co-ordination's already slipping and..." he pauses briefly as I just shake my head in denial. "The doctors reckon I have two more months."

I don't realise my grip has loosened until John manages to slip from my hold.

"John…" I manage to whisper, my chest too heavy to say any more. He smiles sadly and moves back closer, softly brushing his lips over mine, his face hovering just millimetres from mine as he pulls away.

"I would have given it all up for you," his whisper is thick with emotion. I close my eyes and bite down hard on my lip, unable to process my thoughts fast enough. I feel him pull away but as I open my eyes again I can't think what to say to make him stay. All I can do is slump against the wall as John walks away. Again. And I know this time it really is forever…


End file.
